FAFSA and FAFSA Verification

What is the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)?

Once you have applied for admission, your next step is to apply for financial aid
by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is required
in order for you to be considered for assistance through grants, Federal Work-Study,
need-based scholarships, and student loans.

Filing your FAFSA

You (and parents as applicable) should apply for a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID at
https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out/fsaid. The FSA ID is used to login to certain federal websites to access financial aid
information and to electronically sign federal student aid documents such as the FAFSA.

For the 2018-19award year(Fall 2018, Spring 2019, and Summer 2019), you can complete the FAFSA atfafsa.govbeginningOctober 1, 2017.

The 2018-19 FAFSA income information is based on prior-prior year (2016) income, which
eliminates the need to estimate tax information.

On the FAFSA, enter the MTSU school code of 003510 so that we get the results.

If eligible, you (and parents / spouse as applicable) arestrongly encouragedto use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) to import your 2016 IRS tax information into
the FAFSA. Doing so will reduce the chance that MTSU will be required to verify the
accuracy of your information.

The 2018-19 MTSUFAFSA filing priority date is January 16, 2018to be considered for maximum financial aid assistance. However, you should complete
the FAFSA as soon as possible beginning October 1, 2017.

For the 2019-20 award year(Fall 2019, Spring 2020, and Summer 2020), you can complete the FAFSA atfafsa.govbeginningOctober 1, 2018

The 2019-20 FAFSA income information is based on prior-prior year (2017) income, which
eliminates the need to estimate tax information.

On the FAFSA, enter the MTSU school code of 003510 so that we get the results.

If eligible, you (and parents / spouse as applicable) arestrongly encouragedto use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) to import your 2017 IRS tax information into
the FAFSA. Doing so will reduce the chance that MTSU will be required to verify the
accuracy of your information.

The 2019-20 MTSUFAFSA filing priority date is February 1, 2019to be considered for maximum financial aid assistance. However, you should complete
the FAFSA as soon as possible beginning October 1, 2018.

Your Student Aid Report (SAR)

Once you have filed your FAFSA, you will receive a paper or electronic response from
the FAFSA processor called the Student Aid Report (SAR). The SAR will give you some
basic information about your eligibility for federal student aid and will also list
your answers to questions on the FAFSA. It is very important that you review the SAR
carefully and make sure that all information is correct as listed!

Your SAR will also include a number called the EFC, or Expected Family Contribution.
Based on a federal formula, the EFC is the amount of support the federal government
expects you to contribute toward your educational expenses. The EFC is listed on the
first page of the Student Aid Report (SAR).

Review your SAR carefully and follow the directions provided to make corrections to
any information that is incorrect. Your SAR may also direct you to supply additional
or supplementary information to the MTSU Financial Aid Office. Please plan to follow
those instructions as quickly as possible, so that we may get your financial files
in order well in advance of the semester you plan to attend. Our office will also
be reviewing an electronic version of your SAR to see if additional or supplementary
information is needed. If additional information is needed, MTSU will contact you
via your MTSU email account,

Please respond promptly to all requests from the Federal FAFSA Processor on your Student
Aid Report (SAR) and/or to requests directly from MTSU. Unsatisfied requirements can be viewed in the Financial Aid Requirements & Holds section of your PipelineMT account.

Financial aid can't be awarded or paid to your student account unless all requested
information and documentation has been submitted and reviewed by the Financial Aid
Office.

FAFSA Verification

If you have been selected for FAFSA verification, you are not alone! Verification
is a process by which the federal government asks students and their parents for some
additional information to check the accuracy of FAFSA information. If you are selected
for verification, MTSU must collect the required documentation and complete the verification process with you
before any financial aid can be awarded.

If your FAFSA is selected for verification, you will receive an email notification
sent to your MT email account instructing you to review your missing requirements.
Please respond promptly to all requests for information.You cannot be awarded financial
aid until the verification process has been completed.

The best action you can take to help finish verification is to use the IRS data retrieval
tool to automatically populate your and your parents’ tax information directly from
the IRS when you are initially filing your FAFSA!

The tax return transcript must be requested directly from the IRS by calling 1-800-908-9946
or visiting the IRS website. Be sure to request the tax return transcript, and not
the tax account transcript. Include the student’s MTSU ID number on each page.

How will I know if I have been selected for verification?

It is very important that you check your MT Mail account regularly, and that you periodically
log in to your PipelineMT account and check the Financial Aid Requirements & Holds
page for any unsatisfied requirements and/or requirement messages. If you are selected
for verification you will be notified by email to your MT Mail account. You will be
directed to your PipelineMT account to review instructions and a list of the documents that must be submitted before financial aid can be awarded.

Once verification begins, we may need to ask for additional documentation based on
the tax transcript.

If you are selected for verification, the notification you receive via MT email will
direct you to your PipelineMT account to review instructions and a list of the documents
that must be submitted before financial aid can be awarded. In general, your requirements
may include all or many of the following. However, this is not a complete list, and
your individual case may require that we request additional documents to meet all
federal requirements.

IRS Data Retrieval Tool: If you have used the IRS Data Retrieval Tool when filing your FAFSA, you will usually
not have to submit tax transcripts from the IRS if selected for verification. Most
students selected for verification will be able to complete the majority of their
requirements by using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.

You may use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool if the federal tax return(s) have been filed,
if you have a valid social security number, and if you have a FAFSA PIN number. You cannot use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool if your marital status changed as of December
31; if you are married, but filed separate tax returns or filed as Head of Household;
or if you filed an amended return. If you filed an amended return, you must submit
a signed copy of all pages of the original tax return and W-2 forms or a Tax Return
Transcript, and a signed copy of the IRS 1040X form.

Tax Transcript from the IRS: If you do not, or cannot, use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, you must submit the tax
transcript from the IRS. Students and parents can request a paper copy of their tax
return transcript or obtain an online PDF copy of their tax return transcript, wage
and income transcripts, and verification of non-filing letter through the IRS website. A tax transcript may also be requested at 1-800-908-9946.

Didn’t file taxes? If you and/or your parents have not and are not required to file a tax return, you
MUST mark this on the Verification Worksheet. All income earned in the tax year must
be reported on the FAFSA, even if a tax return is not required. Fully complete this
information on the Verification Worksheet. Include the name of each employer, the
amount earned for the full calendar year, AND submit a copy of each W-2. If a W-2
is not available, submit a signed statement (preferably on letterhead) from the employer
verifying the earnings and explaining of the absence of the W-2.

Verification Opt-Out form: If you have been selected for verification but only wish to receive the Tennessee Lottery Hope Scholarship (and Merit Supplement, if
eligible), we will review and award your Lottery Scholarships depending on your eligiblity. Please
note that you will not be eligible for any other types of aid unless you complete
verification; this includes the Tennessee Lottery Aspire Scholarship.

I need additional assistance!

We know that filing the FAFSA or being selected for verification can be stressful
and time consuming as you work to gather and submit all the required documentation.
If you need help with questions or in navigating the process, please contact the MT One Stop.